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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: dip · bound · arm · rock · wake · saw · stand · ground

  1. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  10. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  11. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  18. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. My father caught me by the ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. ground — the earth
  3. dip — to sink
  4. bound — obliged
  5. rock — a stone
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. saw — past of 'see'
  8. bound — tied together
  9. ground — crushed
  10. arm — a part of something
  11. wake — a trail
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. bound — certain
  15. rock — music
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wake — to stop sleeping
  18. dip — to dunk
  19. saw — the tool
  20. stand — to bear
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. ground — a position
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. arm — part of the body

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com